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Tuesday, Mar 27, 2007
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No report from Chief Secretary: Paloli

Special Correspondent

Assembly discusses procedures followed in the signing of agreement with ADB

Paloli Mohammed Kutty says procedures for signing agreement with ADB were in order.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Local Self-Government Paloli Mohammed Kutty has denied receiving any report from the Chief Secretary pointing to procedural lapses in the signing of the project agreement for the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Programme with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Replying to a discussion initiated by Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani on alleged lapses in the signing of the agreement, Mr. Mohammed Kutty told the Assembly on Monday that the question of placing on the table of the House the so-called report of the Chief Secretary did not arise since there was no such report.

During the discussion, Congress MLA K. Babu drew the Minister's attention to media reports stating that Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob, on being asked by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, had studied the manner in which the agreement was signed with the ADB and that she had indicted certain top officials for breaking the procedures to be followed in such cases. He pressed the Minister to place that report on the table of the House and inform the Assembly the action taken on it.

"No such report was received," Mr. Mohammed Kutty said, in reply.

Mr. Mani, while initiating the discussion under Rule 49 of the Assembly Proceedings, noted that the Minister, in reply to a question in the Assembly on March 5, had said that the agreement was signed in New Delhi [on December 8, 2006] on behalf of the State Government by the Resident Commissioner of the Kerala House there. The Minister had also said that the Resident Commissioner had done this under authorisation from the Secretary for Local Self-Government, Mr. Mani said.

Citing the legal points relating to the signing of such agreements, Mr. Mani said the Resident Commissioner was not an officer holding any of the posts notified as authorised signatory for the Government as per the existing order of the Governor. Mr. Mohammed Kutty disagreed with Mr. Mani on the point and said the procedures were quite in order. He said his department should have placed the subject in the Cabinet [for approval] before signing the agreement. The signing was, however, ratified by the Cabinet later, he added.

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